The Boundaries of Canaan

(Genesis 15:8-21; Romans 4:13-25)

1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2Command the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: When you are entered into the land of Chanaan, and it shall be fallen into your possession by lot, it shall be bounded by these limits: 3The south side shall begin from the wilderness of Sin, which is by Edom: and shall have the most salt sea for its furthest limits eastward: 4Which limits shall go round on the south side by the ascent of the Scorpion and so into Senna, and reach toward the south as far as Cadesbarne, from whence the frontiers shall go out to the town called Adar, and shall reach as far as Asemona. 5And the limits shall fetch a compass from Asemona to the torrent of Egypt, and shall end in the shore of the great sea.

6And the west side shall begin from the great sea, and the same shall be the end thereof.

7But toward the north side the borders shall begin from the great sea, reaching to the most high mountain, 8From which they shall come to Emath, as far as the borders of Sedada: 9And the limits shall go as far as Zephrona, and the village of Enan. These shall be the borders on the north side.

10From thence they shall mark out the grounds towards the east side from the village of Enan unto Sephama. 11And from Sephama the bounds shall go down to Rebla over against the fountain of Daphnis: from thence they shall come eastward to the sea of Cenereth, 12And shall reach as far as the Jordan, and at the last shall be closed in by the most salt sea. This shall be your land with its borders round about.

13And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying: This shall be the land which you shall possess by lot, and which the Lord hath commanded to be given to the nine tribes, and to the half tribe. 14For the tribe of the children of Ruben by their families, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the number of their kindreds, and half of the tribe of Manasses, 15That is, two tribes and a half, have received their portion beyond the Jordan over against Jericho at the east side.

Leaders to Divide the Land

16And the Lord said to Moses: 17These are the names of the men, that shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Josue the son of Nun, 18And one prince of every tribe, 19Whose names are these: Of the tribe of Juda, Caleb the son of Jephone. 20Of the tribe of Simeon, Samuel the son of Ammiud. 21Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chaselon. 22Of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bocci the son of Jogli. 23Of the children of Joseph of the tribe of Manasses, Hanniel the son of Ephod. 24Of the tribe of Ephraim, Camuel the son of Sephtan. 25Of the tribe of Zabulon, Elisaphan the son of Pharnach. 26Of the tribe of Issachar, Phaltiel the prince, the son of Ozan. 27Of the tribe of Aser, Ahiud the son of Salomi. 28Of the tribe of Nephtali: Phedael the son of Ammiud. 29These are they Whom the Lord hath commanded to divide the land of Chanaan to the children of Israel.